Vice President Finance, Europe & International

ABOUT US:

Mars Science & Diagnostics is the newest division of Mars Petcare, the global leader in Petcare: Mars Petcare | Mars Incorporated.

Science & Diagnostics (SDx) is dedicated to building an outcome focused organization that brings to bear products and services that help pets stay healthy longer and support the people that love and care for pets - from pet professionals to pet owners. Science & Diagnostics embodies the Mars Petcare Purpose, to Make a Better World for Pets, by using science and technology to advance preventive health, early and precision diagnostics, and monitoring for pets.

Science and Diagnostics is a partially decentralized division, mostly aligned within Mars Vet Health (MVH), with the divisional S&F function responsible for FP&A, Business partnering and Financial operations (AR, AP, Accounting, Payroll).

The SDx business consists in multiple product / service lines across the diagnostics spectrum across services (e..g. Reference Labs services), medical devices (i.e. point of care diagnostics and imaging equipment) and consumer facing products (i.e. At-Home diagnostics). We are seeking a talented VP Finance, Europe and International – which would lead the finance function for the regions.

Europe & International represent ~20% of the revenue of the division, as a result of a mix of organic presence (e.g. UK, APAC) and successful acquisitions (e.g. SCIL Europe, Synlab Vet, CerbaVet, VetZ, Heska Australia).

OVERVIEW:

The role is a European leadership level position responsible for the Finance strategic direction.

Since this new division was formed, we have been on a transformation, growing our associate (employee) base by 1,300 to circa 3,500 globally, operating in all key geographies in North America, Europe and further markets in Asia, broadening our portfolio from labs to include telehealth, point of care diagnostics, at-home diagnostics, integrating the global Mars Science organization (Waltham), and beginning a journey to build a single associate experience.

Today in Europe and International we have circa 600 associates in a range of functions – from lab technicians, to doctors, Software Engineers, Sales leaders, marketing professionals, manufacturing, and distribution associates and more. Our associates are spread across 10+ labs, 1 primary workplace (Veirnheim, Germany) and distribution centers.

This expanded position will pick up this transformation in a critical period, post-acquisition, and importantly potentially additional acquisitions, of embedding, bringing stability and maturing, while optimizing and accelerating the finance agenda across a single, large and diverse organization.

This person will partner with the wider Finance leadership community to bring best practice and collaborate across Mars Petcare.

KEY MISSION OF THE VP FINANCE ROLE:

• Drive business value by being a strong business partner to the SDx Europe and International Regional Presidents and leadership teams.

• Enable successful growth of Science and Diagnostics, both in financial and non-financial terms; aligning scarce financial resources to strategy execution

• Leading acquisition integrations as a key pillar to the division strategic objectives. Drive execution of the value creation through effective integration.

• Create and manage a regional operating framework for the business to ensure that the different business lines and countries operate effectively and efficiently and are appropriately supported by the local and global finance teams.

• Drive Finance transformation to modernize and simplify Finance systems and processes across a complex set of countries and businesses, ensuring compliance with all local statutory requirements.

• Develop strong Finance Talent within the Division and in service of Petcare ecosystem / Mars Inc.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Financial Leadership:

• Represent the finance function as a member of the SDx Europe and International Leadership Team(s).

• Develop and execute the financial strategy for the division in Europe and our International markets and businesses.

• Provides finance leadership to the ongoing efforts to integrate the recent acquisitions.

• Lead the regional finance team(s), fostering a culture of high performance and continuous improvement.

• Ensure alignment with the global divisional financial objectives and Mars Petcare's strategic goals.

• Act as an active member of the SDx Finance Leadership team.

Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A):

• Oversee the budgeting, forecasting, and long-term financial planning processes for the region.

• Provide strategic financial insights and recommendations to senior management to support decision-making.

• Analyze financial performance and variances, identifying trends and areas for improvement.

Financial Operations:

• Ensure efficient and effective financial operations, including accounts receivable (AR), accounts payable (AP), payroll and accounting.

• Implement robust financial controls and governance frameworks to safeguard assets and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of financial processes.

Business Partnering and Performance management:

• Collaborate with business leaders to provide financial expertise and support for strategic initiatives and operational decisions.

• Act as a trusted advisor to the European leadership team, providing financial insights and guidance to drive business performance.

• Support new product launches and market expansions with financial analysis and risk assessment.

• Support the business in delivering efficiency and continuous improvement initiatives.

• Develop and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure financial and operational performance.

• Lead initiatives to improve financial performance, including cost management, revenue enhancement, and profitability optimization.

• Ensure timely and accurate financial reporting to internal and external stakeholders.

Team Development:

• Recruit, develop, and retain top financial talent, building a high-performing finance team.

• Provide mentorship and professional development opportunities for finance team members.

• Foster a collaborative and inclusive team culture that promotes innovation and excellence.

Governance

• Implement a robust governance and control framework, which is aligned to Mars Incorporate standards and local regulatory requirements.

• Ensure compliance with all relevant financial regulations and reporting requirements, with the support of the relevant Mars functions (e.g. External reporting, Tax and Treasury)

• Identify and mitigate financial risks, implementing effective risk management strategies.

• Oversee statutory audits, ensuring timely and accurate completion.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• 15+ years of progressive Finance experience, including 5+ in leadership positions, ideally on a unit/geographic leadership team.

• Ability to effectively lead through ambiguity and complex business transformations.

• Experience in health diagnostics (human or pet health) is advantageous, otherwise strong learning agility is critical.

• Strong understanding and experience of financial planning, analysis, and financial operations.

• Experience working within a larger corporate context beyond immediate unit/geography.

• Line Management experience, including managing other people managers.

• Experience managing an end-to-end org Finance organization is particularly helpful

• Experience successfully leading within a matrix structure, positively influencing a collaborative culture.

• A good understanding of the European financials regulations and US GAAP

• Excellent leadership and team management skills.

• Excellent business, organization, and communication skills.

• Visible leadership: Make tough calls on investments, spending, cost management etc in complex and ambiguous situations.

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, or a related field; MBA or CPA preferred.

This role is expected to travel 30% of the time, with a higher amount during the first 6 months onboarding. Travel will primarily be across Europe, with some occasional global travel.

Mars is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you need assistance or an accommodation during the application process because of a disability, it is available upon request. The company is pleased to provide such assistance, and no applicant will be penalized as a result of such a request.